Portable electric light



Who c. Ma 0 1645A zz 4" @bbowmf May 8, 1928. v L J. vooRHEEs- 303M313 ELECTRIC LIGHT o'rigin'al File'd May-, 1921 I Patented May 8, 1928.

- UNITED STA l 1,668,881 TES PATENT OFFICE.

LEE J. VOORHEES, OF BINGHAMTOlV, .NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CARBON CO. INC., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. l

' roR'TABLn :ELEC'IRIC LIGHT.

Application filed May 4, 1921, Serial No. 466,639. Renewed July 9, 192?.

This invention relates to improvements in portable illuminating devices having an incaudescent lamp operated by a battery and supported within a reflector.

in devices of this kind as usually constructed, especially those of the tubular flashlight type, the lamp is rigidly positioned in the reflector and its inner terminal is in direct contact with the carbon electrode of the top battery cell. This rigidity results in two important disadvantages. It is impossible to adjust the lamp withrespect to the focus of the reflector and the shocks resulting from the movements of the battery in the casing are transmitted from the carbon electrode directly to the inner lamp ter- .minal. The battery is relatively heavy and its sudden movement may breakthe bulb, .lilament or terminal seal of the lamp.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a mounting for incandescent lamps which will permit focusing by a simple manipulation and serve also to absorb shocks arising from battery movements and other causes. In general, this object is attained by mounting the stem of the lamp in a holder slidable through a central aperture in the reflector and providing a rigid impact receiving body in the holder and adjacent resilient means. The resilient means also permits adjustment of the lam along the longitudinal axis 'of the flashllght, while constantly retaining the center terminal of the lamp in circuit with the center battery electrode.

Other objectsand advantages of the invention will be apparent from the appended detailed description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure'l-is a side elevation of a flashlight embodying my invention, the casing being shown in vertical section, and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of the reflector and adjacent parts, also shown in vertical section.

In the drawings, reference'numeral'l indicates a casing of non-conductive material 'and 2 a battery of dry cells. A parabolic reflector 3 is retained against the end of casing l by a cover glass 4:, which is rigidly held in metal head members 5 and 6. A switch7 is operable to bridge a gap in contact strips 8 and 9, respectively in electrical connection with the zinc bottom of the lowest celland the reflector 3. The latter is in conductive-qelation to the exterior terminal of the lamp, but is preferably insulated from or retained out of contact with the head members 5 and 6, as shown, so as to prevent accidental short-circuiting through bridging of the exposed metal parts.

The elements in which my invention more particularly resides are the parts disposed in casing 10, illustrated in detail in Fig. 2. Referring to that figure, an incandescent lamp 11 is screwed into a threaded holder- 12, having an outwardly projecting annular flange 13 at its upper end. The reflector 3 is centrally apertured and is provided with a depending tubular portion 14 in which the holder 12 has a sliding lit. The tubular portion 14 is widened to form an annular seat 15 for the flange 13. The unthreaded lower portion 16 of the tubular lamp holder .12 extends below the base of the lamp and has an inturned bottom flange 17. A hollow cylindricalcasing 18. surrounds the tubular holder 12 and has an annular bottom recess 19 shaped to receive the flange 17 Casing 18 is adapted to telescope upon the widened portion 20 of the reflector stem, but is normally held in the retracted position illustrated, by means of a helical spring 21 which is under compression between the base of the casing and the seat 15 on the reflector. Flange 13 acts as a stop to limit downward movement of the holder 12.

Coincident perforations are formed in flange 17 and the base of recess 19. A tubular rivet 22 of conductive material extends through the perforationand is adapted to place the inner terminal of the lamp and the carbon pole of the battery in electrical connection. Rivet 22 is spaced from the holder 12 and casing 18 by rigid discs 23 and 24, of insulating material, which abut respectively upon the flange 17 and the wall of recess 19. The rivet ends are expanded or rolled outwardly in the usual manner to secure the discs and intermediate metal parts firmly together. When the discs are secured as described, the reflector, holder, and casing-are held in properadjustment and may he handled or inserted in the flashlight as a unit.

An incandescent lamp mounted as described is securely protected from shocks due to movements of the battery in the casing, or

from other blows direct toward its base. The energy of an impact received by the lower expanded rivet end is not transmitted through the rivet body to the lamp, even though its force is sufficient to compress spring 21 completely. spring is socompressed, the bottom of the tubular portion 14. rests against the base of casing 10, and the top of the casing abuts upon the reflector where it flares outwardly from the portion 20. If there is residual energy after compression of the spring and movement to the position described, it is capable of being transmitted only to the disc 24, supporting member 19 and adjacent parts unconnected with the frangible portions of the lamp. Whether the spring has reached the limit of upward movement or not, due to the rigid mounting of disc 24:, the rivet will not be driven into contact with the lamp terminal.

When the shock from the movement of the battery in the casing is not severe, it will expend itself in the compression of the coil spring. It is, therefore, possible to secure some of the beneficial results of the invention relying upon this,feature of construction alone, omitting the rigid discs and rivet, and allowing the inner terminal of the lamp to come into direct contact with the carbon electrode.

In the construction illustrated, a diflused light or a concentrated beam may be simply obtained, as desired, by adjusting the end cap 25 to move the lamp bulb into or away from the focus of the reflector. Upward motion of the cap 25 is transmitted to the battery and through the carbon electrode to the structure carrying the slidable lamp holder 12, the battery, holder, and lamp being thus movable as a ,unit and guided accurately along the reflector axis. Since the coil spring 21 is normally under compression in the assembled flashlight shown in Fig." 1, the outer end of the rivet 22 constantly presses against the center contact of the battery, so that the upper end of the battery is guided by the lamp holder that slides along and is guided axially of the 'reflector stem 20. The coil spring 21 is compressed on upward movement of the holder, and when the end cap is moved downwardly, permitting the spring to expand, it causes theholder to follow the descending battery, maintaining the electrical connection between the lamp and carbon electrode. The threaded engagement of the end cap with the easing end holds the parts in any adjusted position.

With the foregoing construction, .I can dispense with the spiral spring usually employed in the bottom cap to make contact with the zinc battery terminal. Instead of a spring, a rigid contact making projection 26, having a plane surface in contact with Assuming that the capable of the electrode, is provided on the bottom of the end cap. The spring 21, adjacent the lamp, is of such strength that in any adjusted position of the spring or inclination of the flashlight it will have suflicient expansive force to hold the battery against the contact making projection 26. The spring may be made as strong as desired, up to the point where it would be too dilrlc'ultly compressible to yield readily under impact of the battery.

The contact obtained in this way is entirely satisfactory and I prefer not to use the spiral spring in the bottom cap, both for simplicity of construction and because without it the battery has less freedom of movement within the casing. It is therefore less transmitting shocks imposed upon the flashlight. This feature, aiding 'the eflicient buffer means provided adjacent the lamp, enables the fragile parts of the structure to escape injury when subjected to treatment which would certainly be destructive to flashlights as ordinarily constructed. In addition, focusing is aided by the omission of the spring because a given longitudinal movement of the end cap results in the same forward movement of the lamp bulb.

When I embody the improvements above described in a flashlight having a metal case,

"I preferably provide an insulating collar to such devices and they are within the scope of the appended claims;

I claim:

1. In an electric lighting device, the combination of a casing having a metallic head, an apertured reflector therein and insulated therefrom, focusing means comprising a spring-pressed lamp-holder movable through the aperture in the reflector and guided thereby, a battery mounted for movement in the casing,'said holder being arranged to follow the movement of the battery and guide the latter, and means for varying the position of the battery to adjust the holder with respect to the reflector.

2..In a flashlight, a battery, a holder carrying an incandescent lamp, reflective means operatively disposed with respect to said lamp, resilient means tending to retain the holder in retracted position in electrical contact with the carbon pole of the battery, and an inflexible member adapted to engage the bottom of said battery to elevate apertured reflector, a holder carrying an incandescent lamp and slidable in the aperture, resilient means tending to retain the holder in retracted position in electrical contact with the carbon pole of the battery, and an end cap having a non-resilient surface adapted to elevate the battery and holder.

4. In a electric lighting device, the combination of a casin an apertured reflector having a tubular portion, focusing means comprising a lamp holder movable longitudinally with respect to the casing, a lamp in said holder and protruding through the aperture of the reflector, a spring pressing said holder away from the reflector, means in said tubular portion for limiting the movement of the holder, a battery positioned in said casing beneath the holder, and means adjacent the lower end of the casing for varying the position of the battery to adjust the holder with respect to the reflector.

5. In a electric lighting device, the combination f-a casing having a metallic head, an apei'tui'ed i'eflector thereinand insulated theretroim said reflectorihaving a tubular portion, focusing means comprising a lamp holder bodily movable in said tubular portion longitudinally with respect, to-the casing, a lamp in said holder and protruding through the aperture of the reflector, a spring pressing said holder away from the reflector, means in said tubular portion for limiting the movement of the holder, a battery positioned in said casing beneath the holder, and a bottom cap on the casing supporting the battery and adapted to be r0- tated to vary the position of the same.

6. In an electric lighting device, the com bination of a casing, an apertured reflector,

focusing means comprising a lamp holder bodily movable longitudinally with respect to said casing, a lamp in said holder protruding through the aperture of the re;-

flector, a spring pressing said holder away from said reflector, means for limiting the movement of said holder, a battery positioned in said casing behind said holder, and a bottom cap on the casing supporting the battery and adapted to be rotated to vary the position of the same, said bottom cap having a rigid projection thereon in contact with the base of the battery. I

7. A flashlight focusing device, comprising a holder carrying an incandescent lamp and having a flange, a reflector comprising a tubular portion having a shoulder there;

in adapted to abut against the flange, a spring normally holding the flange upon the shoulder, and means for adjusting the lamp holder. v e

8. A protective device for the inc'andes' cent lamps of portable electric lights .eomprising a damp-carrying holder hav ng a 'uiding said holder and providin a shoulder adapted tofabut against the fl ange, and a spring normally holding the flange against the shoulder and adapted to yield under impacts directed against the holder.

'9. In air- .incandescent lamp of the portable, battery operated type, an apertured reflector, a lamp-carrying holder movable through the aperture, and a protective device comprising an insulated conducting member connecting a terminal of the lamp and a terminal of the battery, a coil spring ng movement of the casing to secure focal adjustment or yielding under impact.

11. A portable electric light comprising the combination of an incandescent lamp member; a battery adapted to be connected in circuit therewith; a reflector member as sociated with said lamp member; a holder for said lamp member; and means operative to adjust said,members relatively to one another comprising rigid means for moving said battery and one of said members in one direction as a unit, and a spring compressible during such movement and expansible to move such unit in the reverse direction.

12. A portable electric light comprising the combination of" an incandescent lamp member; a battery adapted to be connected in circuit therewith; a reflector member associated with said lamp member; a holder for said lamp member; a casing carrying said lamp, battery, reflector and holder in axial alinement and comprising a cap carrying rigid means engaging the base of the battery and operative to move said battery and one of said members in one direction as a unit; and means operative to move such unit in the reverse direction and adapted to cushion the movement of said battery away p adjust said lamp and reflector relatively to flange, a reflector having a one another comprising fri gid means mov ble relatively to said case for moving one of said members'in one direction to ad ust the latter"relatively to the other of said members, and a coil spring compressible during such movement and expansible to move such adjusted member in the reverse direction, Y said spring being also operative to maintain the electrical connection between said lamp and battery during all "focusing adjustments in and to protect the lamp from blows directed toward its base. 7

14. A portable electric light comprising the combination of a reflector having an aperture; a battery behind the reflector; an incandescent lamp projecting through said aperture and adapted to be connected in cir-' cuit with said battery; a holder for said lamp; a case carrying said reflector, battery, lamp, and holder 1n axial ahnement, said case having a metallic head enclosing and insnlated froni said reflector, means including a device rotatable on said case and. operative, when rotated in a given direction, to effect relative axial adjustment of said reflector and said lamp .and a helical spring expansible, when said device is rotated in the reverse direction, to effect relative axial adjustment of said reflector and said lamp.

15. In a battery hand lamp, the combina tion with a case, of'a reflector therein comprising a tubular portion having a shoulder therein, a lamp holder in said tubular porweasel tion having a flange bearing against said shoulder, a lamp in said holder, contact means mounted on said holder, and means holding said flange against said shoulder.

16. A focusing assembly for battery hand lamps comprising a reflector havingan aperture; a lamp holder bodily movable a axially slidable in said neck and having means adapted to cooperate with said shoulder to limit the movement of said holder in one direction; terminal means carried by said holder; and a spring bearing against said shoulder and operative to normally urge said means on said lamp holder toward said shoulder.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature. a

' LEE J. VOORHEES. 

